


A Weekend in Nice

by OmgPandi



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: 007!Hubert, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Spies & Secret Agents, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Bond "Girl"!Ferdinand, Espionage, First Time, Getting Together, Grinding, Hand & Finger Kink, Hand Jobs, James Bond References, M/M, Minor Injuries, Minor Violence, Neck Kissing, Riding, The James Bond AU no one asked for, no beta we die like Glenn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-05
Updated: 2020-01-05
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:55:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22124446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OmgPandi/pseuds/OmgPandi
Summary: It started out as a routine mission.Over the last few years, it became apparent that the British Prime Minister, Erich Aegir, was participating in suspicious business. Normally, MI5 would handle the situation since the Prime Minister was a British citizen, however the presence of Thales and his compatriots changed the situation completely.---or, Hubert Vestra is MI6's best agent, which is why he gets sent on a mission to gather evidence of Prime Minister Aegir's dealings with Thales and his organization. He was expecting this to be a routine mission, but Ferdinand Aegir is making that a little more difficult.
Relationships: Ferdinand von Aegir/Hubert von Vestra
Comments: 20
Kudos: 216





	A Weekend in Nice

**Author's Note:**

> It's finally done!!!! The idea for a James Bond AU first started rattling around in my mind after the trailer for No Time To Die dropped, but [dailandin's artwork of 007!Hubert and Bond Girl!Ferdinand really inspired me to actually try my hand at it](https://twitter.com/dailandin/status/1209225795266338816).
> 
> This is, without a doubt, the longest thing I've ever written, so hopefully it turned out well! I wanna thank dailandin for the being the source of inspiration for this work, as well as everyone in the Ferdibert Server that has been supportive of this! <3
> 
> Anyways, I hope you all enjoy this! ~~Also this is the first time I've ever written anything smutty so please be kind dasjdhksad~~

“More champagne, sir?”

Hubert gave a polite smile to the waiter as he took a flute of champagne, ignoring the man after he walked away. Taking a sip of the beverage, Hubert observed the scene before him. All of the glitz and glamour suited the kind of man Prime Minister Aegir thought himself to be and played to his ego perfectly. Truly Thales and his compatriots knew how to stroke someone’s ego; it’s a shame that they chose someone who was _terrible_ at being subtle.

“Ah, there you are!” Suddenly, a warm body pressed itself next to him. Bright orange hair, styled into a low ponytail, filled his vision and Hubert turned to see Ferdinand’s dazzling smile directed towards him. “I must say, Mr. Vestra, you are a hard man to find.”

“Forgive me, darling,” Hubert purred, bringing one of his arms to rest around Ferdinand’s waist. “I do have a job to finish after all.”

Ferdinand hummed, taking the champagne glass from Hubert’s hand. “Well, at least try to enjoy the night before you go off and do… whatever it is you need to do.”

“No promises.” Hubert looked up and caught the Prime Minister’s eyes, noticing the shocked expression on his face as he saw Hubert’s closeness to his son. The raven haired man felt very amused at the older man’s reaction and, judging by the look on Ferdinand’s face, the feeling was quite mutual.

Ferdinand gave Hubert a kiss on the cheek, the man’s presence lingering as the duo saw Erich Aegir approach them quickly, anger very apparent on the older man’s face.

* * *

* * *

It started out as a routine mission.

Over the last few years, it became apparent that the British Prime Minister, Erich Aegir, was participating in suspicious business. Normally, MI5 would handle the situation since the Prime Minister was a British citizen, however the presence of Thales and his compatriots changed the situation completely.

MI6 had handled threats from Thales before, sending agents on missions internationally. M, a petite but strong woman named Edelgard, saw it as her personal mission to see Thales and his shadowy organization put to an end as soon as possible. The man had an interest in toppling democratic governments and, from the flames of whatever was left behind, reshape the nation into his own vision.

“Quite the madman,” Linhardt stated, standing at one side of Edelgard’s desk while Miss Arnault stood at the other.

“Indeed,” Edelgard stated, nodding to her Chief of Staff. “Which is why it’s important that we learn what exactly Prime Minister Aegir is up to.”

“And this is my next mission, ma’am?” Hubert asked, staring at the manilla folder innocently resting on Edelgard’s desk.

“Precisely Hubert,” she answered, handing it to him. “If the British Prime Minister has been compromised, then it’s our job to make sure he’s brought to justice. Thales is a dangerous man, insane even, and without a doubt a man that is a danger to Queen and Country.”

“Our intelligence has reported that Aegir is going to be in Nice for the next few days, as well as one of Thales’ agents, a red-haired woman going by the name Monica.” Linhardt drawled, scrolling through the tablet in his hands. “It’s highly likely that they’re meeting for some sort of exchange of information.”

“I want you to keep a close eye on him these next few days,” Edelgard’s gaze hardened then. “We cannot allow Thales to have such a strong foothold in Britain. I fear what will happen should Britain fall.”

“Of course, ma’am.”

“Excellent, report to Q-Branch and gather your equipment. Your flight will be leaving shortly and Bernadetta should have your kit outfitted already.” Nodding to Miss Arnault, the brunette woman sauntered over to the doors of Edelgard’s office and held it open. “Good luck out in the field, Double-O Seven.”

* * *

“Excited, Hubie?” Dorothea asked, walking with him to Q-Branch. “I hear Nice is quite the lovely city, perhaps you’ll find someone to help you loosen up.”

The brunette woman had the audacity to wink, meaning _very_ clear.

“I don’t have time for some fleeting tryst.” Hubert responded, giving the woman a glare. 

As always, she ignored it. “So boring Hubie! What’s the worst that could happen?”

“You all hear some rather saucy conversations between myself and my paramour?”

“Oh please, hardly anyone here would bat an eyelash, Edie even less.” Dorothea dismissed, rolling her eyes. “It’s not like we haven’t all heard Caspar and Linhardt-”

“It seems we’ve arrived,” Hubert interrupted, stepping into Q-Branch. All around them were techs working at their stations with Bernadetta nervously tinkering with something from her station at the front of the room. The purple haired woman dropping whatever it was she was working on, causing an aid next to her to freak out for a moment.

“All I’m saying is that you need to relax!” Dorothea stated, red-painted lips pouting up at Hubert. “Ever since that incident last month, you’ve been running yourself ragged and it’s worrying all of us, Edie especially.”

“I’ll relax once Thales and his organization are finished for good.” Hubert responded, stepping towards Bernadetta. “Bernadetta.”

“Aaah Hubert!” she exclaimed, turning to face him and Dorothea. “Oooh don’t sneak up on me like that! I hate it when you Double-Os do that. At least Caspar is nice enough to-”

“The words ‘espionage’ and ‘sneaking’ don’t exactly fit for someone like Caspar.” Hubert drawled, causing Dorothea to giggle next to him. “However I will endeavor to make my presence more obvious in the future. Would a cat bell suffice?”

“I know you’re teasing, but I’m pretty tempted to bring that suggestion up with Edelgard during the next senior staff meeting…” Bernadetta sighed, reaching under her desk and pulling out a metal box. “Standard issued Walthier, modified to recognize your palm print, a radio, an earpiece, and an exploding watch.”

“Exploding watch? Not an exploding pen?” Dorothea asked, one eyebrow quirking up.

The aid standing next to Bernadetta suddenly looked nervous. “Not a lot of people carry around a pen anymore,” Bernadetta answered, looking nervously at Hubert. “I-I mean we _could_ try developing an exploding pen but… an exploding watch seemed more fun?”

Slipping the watch around his wrist, Hubert have a curt nod. “It hardly matters to me, so long as it gets the job done right.”

“O-Of course!” Bernadetta exclaimed, handing the rest of his equipment to him, as well as the plane ticket to Nice. “I don’t really need to say this to you Hubert, but good luck out in the field and _please_ return all the equipment in one piece. It’s hard to get more money for my branch when all of you Double-Os constantly break the things I give you.”

“I’m not Caspar or Dimitri, Bernadetta,” Hubert stated, pocketing the plane ticket and small radio and leaving the Walthier in the case. “I will, however, make sure to bring all the equipment back in one piece.”

* * *

Dorothea had dropped him off at the airport not long after they finished their business in Q-Branch. She tried imparting on him some advice on how to relax in Nice, which he pointedly ignored. After the attempt on Edelgard’s life by one of Thales’ associates, a man named Myson, Hubert _couldn’t_ relax until that organization was burnt to the ground.

_‘Besides, it’s not like I’m the only one running themselves ragged,’_ Hubert thought, remembering how tired 001, a Double-O named Byleth, seemed the last few weeks. The man was as determined to eradicate Thales’ organization as much as he was, hoping to avenge his father’s death by Monica’s hands. _‘I suppose the main difference is that Byleth has Jeritza in his life, although the man is also a Double-O.’_

Companionship was something Hubert never thought much about, especially given how dangerous his job was. Double-Os didn’t tend to make it to retirement, many of them dying in the field. Hubert’s own predecessor had died while on a mission, five years away from retirement and one of the oldest Double-Os in the service at the time. If the threat of your spouse or lover being killed in the field didn’t discourage someone, then no doubt the possibility of being kidnapped or killed by an agent’s enemy was normally viewed as a deal breaker as well. As a result, most Double-Os either dated another agent, another government employee, or remained single.

Hubert didn’t need any sort of _companion_ ; they would be a distraction from work or a liability at worst. Dorothea was meddling in something that was none of her business.

* * *

As soon as Hubert checked into Hotel Negresco, he immediately started getting to work and looked over the manilla folder Edelgard handed to him back in her office. Inside was details about the Prime Minister’s upcoming schedule during his stay in Nice, from meetings with French delegates to “personal meetings” as marked on the calendar.

The personal meetings would be the most likely time that Aegir would be meeting with Monica to discuss whatever plans Thales wants to include the Prime Minister in, thus they would be Hubert’s priority during his stay. Thankfully, the smart phones Bernadetta developed were equipped to handle the kind of espionage that was required for Hubert’s mission. The recording feature embedded in the phones would be immensely useful.

Hubert was reasonably surprised when his first excursion in Nice brought him to the Promenade des Anglais.

The Mediterranean sun was beating down on Hubert’s skin, which was covered in layers and layers of sunscreen to avoid coming back from this mission looking like a lobster. No doubt his co-workers would never let him live it down, Dorothea especially. The former agent could be ruthless when she wanted to be.

So Hubert was, pretending to relax underneath the largest umbrella he could find while making sure to keep Erich Aegir within sight. A woman was sitting near the man, but Hubert knew she wasn’t Monica. The woman had honey-blonde hair and kept a noticeable distance from the man; pointedly ignoring the man when he tried initiating some sort of conversation with him.

_‘Curious,’_ Hubert mused, scrutinizing the pair. The woman was fairly young looking and attractive, so perhaps she was ignoring whatever lecherous advances the Prime Minister was trying to make. _‘At least that proves she has taste.’_

“I don’t believe I have ever seen someone bring such a large umbrella to the beach before,” a voice spoke, bringing Hubert out of his thoughts immediately.

Standing before him was a handsome young man with long, flowing honey-amber hair and orange eyes. His skin was slightly tanned, no doubt from the Mediterranean sun the man before him seemed to be rivaling. He was shirtless and wearing small swim trunks, showing off a chiseled chest and strong looking thighs. The stranger was staring down at him, looking like he was waiting for an answer given the amused smile on his face.

“I’m sorry, could you repeat that?” Hubert asked, snapping out of his thoughts. Discreetly, he looked over to where the Prime Minister was and saw the man was still there.

“I asked, why do you keep staring at my parents like that?”

Parents. An unexpected development, but one Hubert could work with. “I’m not staring,” Hubert lied, keeping his tone and expression neutral.

The young man hummed, clearly unconvinced. “While I do not exactly care about you sending glares towards my father, I would prefer if you leave my mother be.”

“My apologies,” Hubert said, filing away this information for later. Last he checked, the Prime Minister didn’t bring anyone with him on his trip to Nice. “It wasn’t my intention to make your mother uncomfortable.”

The stranger waved his hand dismissively, an easy grin on his face. “I highly doubt she noticed, but it didn’t sit right with me, so apology accepted!”

Hubert could feel the small smile settle on his face. It would seem the young man’s friendly personality was contagious. “I get sunburned easily.”

“Pardon?”

“I get sunburned easily,” Hubert repeated. “Since you asked why I have such a large beach umbrella with me.”

“I figured as much!” he exclaimed, nodding in understanding. “A friend of mine is similar, despite his Italian roots. Are you here on vacation then?”

“Business,” Hubert replied. “Although my real work isn’t supposed to start for the next couple of days, so I’m taking a moment to relax.”

The stranger nodded again. “My father is similar. We’re spending this weekend celebrating my birthday, but he still insists on working!” A frustrated sigh escaped the stranger. “Forgive me, we don’t even know each other and I’m likely bothering you.”

In any other situation, Hubert would agree, but this stranger’s connection to the Prime Minister would be a valuable asset. Perhaps a subtle seduction would be in order to get more information and get him closer to the Prime Minister.

(It was not because he was attractive. Hubert dispelled that thought immediately.)

“You’re not bothering me at all,” Hubert stated, keeping eye contact with the amber haired man. “Vestra, Hubert Vestra.”

“And I am Ferdinand Aegir,” the stranger - Ferdinand, his mind corrected - stated, holding his hand out to shake. Hubert grasped it and felt the firmness of his grip. “Perhaps I will see you around?”

“That would be lovely,” Hubert purred, taking his time to remove his hand from Ferdinand’s grasp. A slight blush crossed his face. “Is it fair to wager you’re staying in the Hotel Negresco? That’s where I’m staying as well.”

“Indeed we are!” Ferdinand nodded, clearly pleased by the news. Just then, he looked over to where his parents were, watching his mother pack her bag and wave over to Ferdinand. The Prime Minister, meanwhile, stared intensely at the two, lips pursed and a displeased look crossing his face. “It seems we’ll be leaving now. Until next time, Mr. Vestra.”

“Ferdinand,” Hubert said, watching the young man walk away. Ferdinand’s hips seemed to sway as he walked over to his mother and helped remove the beach umbrella, laughing at something she said.

It would seem this mission just got a lot more interesting.

* * *

Clara Aegir, née Hymir, had divorced her ex-husband ten years ago when the rumors about the man cheating on his wife with numerous mistresses turned out to be true. The divorce was a long, drawn-out process and _incredibly_ public judging by the numerous tabloid articles written about it. Then again, when a man shaping to be the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is exposed as a horrible cheater and carrying on affairs for the last five years of his marriage to the United Kingdom’s favorite actress, it’s not surprising that the divorce would become a public scandal.

It should have ended all of Erich Aegir’s chances of becoming Prime Minister, especially when it was revealed that his ex-wife won sole custody of their son. It seems, however, that Erich Aegir remained popular in some circles and had the backing of some powerful businessmen, helping him win elections with their donations until he eventually won the position of Prime Minister. By that point, Clara had taken back her maiden name, focused on raising her son, and continuing her career. She moved to France sometime between now and the end of her divorce, taking Ferdinand with her.

The woman had bad taste for marry him Erich Aegir in the first place, but at least she was sensible enough to end their farce of a marriage once it became clear he was a horrible cheater and lacked any loyalty.

“A lack of loyalty…” Hubert mumbled to himself, watching Aegir from a distance. The man was currently alone, his ex-wife and son nowhere in sight, which seemed suspicious given the point of this trip. “Perhaps that was a precursor for his later traitorous behavior.”

Hubert watched closely as a red-haired woman sat in the seat across from, a seemingly innocent smile on her face. There was a cruel edge to the look in her eyes though, provoking Hubert’s instincts. She looked exactly like the image Hubert had on file for her Monica persona, an amateur move on her part not to try to change her look up.

Thankfully, his waiter disguise would make it easy to eavesdrop on their conversation. Grabbing the food and drink Aegir order, Hubert discreetly placed a listening device so it could remain hidden from Monica’s eyes. No doubt the red haired woman would notice it right away and Hubert didn’t want to compromise the mission before it started.

“Your order, sir,” Hubert said, placing the items in front of Aegir. A quick glance at Monica and he noticed that the woman hardly gave him any attention. Her gaze was intensely focused on the Prime Minister, like a snake sizing up its prey.

The Prime Minister waved a hand dismissively at Hubert. “Whatever the lady wants.”

“I’m not feeling hungry,” Monica stated, snapping her gaze away from Aegir to look at something quickly on her phone. “Although I suppose a glass of wine would be nice, whatever the house special is.”

“Right away, miss.” Hubert responded, disappearing to grab her glass of mine. Once he was alone, he activated the earpiece and started listening to their conversation.

“-and you’re quite sure Arundel will back me?” Aegir asked, a nervous edge to his voice.

“Of course he will,” Monica answered. Her tone sounded friendly, but there was an underlying haughtiness to it. “Lord Arundel is a man that’s only willing to help those he sees great potential in.”

A pause. “I see, well that’s good to know.” The sound of the man’s glass touching the table could be heard.

“Something on your mind?” Monica probed.

“It is likely nothing, my paranoia perhaps.”

“And what could you be feeling paranoid about?”

“Well… lately it feels as though someone has been following me.” Suddenly the man’s voice lowered to a whisper. “You don’t think MI5-”

“Doubtful,” Monica interrupted, snorting. “No offense, but your secret service is quite pitiful. My… friends and I covered our tracks well.”

_‘That’s what you think,’_ Hubert thought, pouring the wine into a glass. A satisfied smile crept its way onto his face. _‘What an amateur.’_ Stepping back outside, he headed straight for their table, keeping his expression neutral.

“Your wine, miss.” She flashed him a smile that was supposed to come across as grateful, but seemed forced if anything. “Would that be all?”

“Yes, I believe we’re good now.” Aegir stated dismissively. “Bring me my cheque whenever.”

“Of course, sir.”

Walking away from the table, Hubert kept the listening device activated.

“And when will I finally get the chance to meet Lord Arundel?”

“He’ll be here in Nice three days from now,” Monica answered. “Which reminds me, a gift for you, your ex-wife, and your son.” The sound of paper sliding across the table was heard. “Four tickets to the upcoming opera held in three days; that’s where Lord Arundel wants to meet. Quite a lovely gift, wouldn’t you agree? He _insists_ that you bring your family along, especially since your son is… turning twenty-three the next day, right? He can even bring a plus-one if he wishes.”

Monica’s smirk could be heard over the device and, for once, the Prime Minister was silent.

Bringing the cheque to the table, Hubert quietly slipped away from the restaurant. He ditched the waiter uniform for his usual suit, Bernadetta’s exploding watch innocently resting around his wrist. As he walked down the streets of Nice, he planned his next steps. 

Regardless of how dull the idea of blackmail was, Hubert supposed that the situation could prove useful… an extra ticket for Ferdinand to bring a guest with him that night. _‘I suppose I will be seeing Ferdinand sooner rather than later.’_

* * *

**007**  
PM made contact with Monica today. Will send further details tonight. - HV

**DancingQueen**  
You know you don’t have to put your initials at the end of all your texts, right? 😕

**007**  
I am aware Miss Arnault, but this chat room has to remain somewhat professional. - HV

**pillowprince**  
Personally, I think he does it on purpose to be perfectly honest.

**STRONG (009)**  
yeah hubert! it’s kinda lame dude

**007**  
The professionalism in MI6 is astonishing at times. -HV

**AshenDemon (001)**  
I don’t know what you were expecting.

**qbear**  
i..is this about me making a custom messaging app? OOOOH I KNEW IT WAS A BAD IDEA I’M SORRY

**Huntress (004)**  
Bernadetta, I do not believe Hubert is speaking of your app. He is being a “stick in the mud” as Dorothea once told me.

**DancingQueen**  
Exactly! So no worries Bernie! 💕

**M(ajesty)**  
Thank you for the update Hubert. I’ll be expecting a more detailed report later. -EH

**DancingQueen**  
Edie no… 

**M(ajesty)**  
Please everyone, try to remember we have a meeting later as well. It is imperative for a possible joint-mission between MI5 and MI6. Otherwise, you’re dismissed. - EH

**pillowprince**  
With all due respect Edelgard, I don’t think you can dismiss us from a chatroom…

* * *

That night, after he wrote his report to Edelgard, Hubert spent some time looking up any information he could gather about Ferdinand. He hoped that a quick search of the man’s life would give some insight on what he could possibly be up to the next few days in Nice.

As it turned out, Ferdinand was quite the athlete. There were numerous articles posted on French websites about his equestrian exploits, as well as his fencing prowess. The man seemed to participate in dressage and horse racing, with numerous medals and trophies to show his mastery. Fencing, it seemed, looked like a past-time, but there were medals attributed to Ferdinand for the sport.

There was, at least, a fencing school located in Nice that Ferdinand could practice at. Hubert would have to try there tomorrow and if Ferdinand wasn’t around, then he could hope to conveniently run into the copper haired man at their hotel.

Out of curiosity, Hubert looked through the numerous images of Ferdinand found on Google. Most of them showed him dressed in his fencing uniform or riding gear. One photographer, in particular, seemed to catch a lovely image of Ferdinand from behind as he bowed to the spectators, the audience seen cheering for Ferdinand’s success throughout the stadium. It was quite the atmospheric image, but Hubert’s attention was drawn somewhere else.

After seeing Ferdinand practically naked in short swim trunks that barely hid _anything_ , Hubert was willing to admit that he felt a strong sense of attraction to the redhead.

Those riding pants, especially, weren’t helping now.

It was almost as if the pants were custom fit to accentuate the curves of Ferdinand’s ass and thighs, as well as show off the dip in his waist. If Hubert had to describe Ferdinand it would be… a perfect blend of masculinity and effeminate traits rolled into one person in a very _maddening_ sort of way.

Clicking through a few more images, Hubert groaned at the realization that _every_ shot of Ferdinand included form fitting clothing and dazzling smiles. One image showed him looking particularly sweaty after a fencing tournament, which brought all sorts of thoughts to Hubert’s mind. Combined with the image earlier of Ferdinand in those short, _tight_ swim trunks, Hubert knew lust when he felt it.

Feeling his cock harden in his bottoms, Hubert dipped his hand down to relieve himself, staring intensely at the image of Ferdinand before closing his eyes.

Imagining Ferdinand sitting before him, black sheets pooled around his figure; his hair messy and looking absolutely dazed as he worked his hand over his own cock while the other trailed along the inside of those ample thighs. His mouth was hanging open as a low moan escaped Ferdinand’s lips.

_“Hubert,”_ Ferdinand whined, orange eyes opening to stare at Hubert. They looked glazed over in pleasure. _“Hubert please…”_

The hand trailing along the inside of his thighs moved lower and lower, one finger prodding into-

One final groan and Hubert slammed his laptop shut, the distant noises Ferdinand made in his fantasy ringing in his head.

“Well,” Hubert said to himself, looking down at his stained hand. “Fuck.”

Making his way to the bathroom quickly, Hubert turned the cold water on full blast, hoping that the chill of the water would relieve him of the heat coursing through him.

(It helped a little, even as the image of Ferdinand dripping wet with water trailing down his chest emerged in his mind. He needed to banish those thoughts _now_ before he spent the night thinking more on them.)

* * *

After a shower in the morning, as well as send a quick message to headquarters, Hubert decided to enjoy breakfast in the hotel restaurant and review the Prime Minister’s schedule for the day. The man would be spending time with some French ministers, all of which were checked out by Q-Branch already. None of them were involved with Thales and his compatriots, but Hubert still wanted to make sure there wasn’t a possibility of Aegir corrupting them. Luckily, the meeting wasn’t until later in the evening, which gave Hubert ample time to continue with his main plan for the day: finding Ferdinand.

As luck would have it, Ferdinand and his parents were having breakfast a few tables away. As Hubert watched the trio, he could feel the awkwardness from this far away. It seemed as though Ferdinand was the only one willing to engage in some conversation while his mother pointedly ignored her ex-husband when the man tried to get her attention.

Hubert couldn’t help but wonder why Ferdinand’s parents were willing to spend a weekend together, regardless if it was for their son’s birthday. Ms. Hymir seemed like she would rather be anywhere but there in front of the man. Perhaps she was willing to indulge Ferdinand in some sort of desire to spend a weekend with both of his parents?

Although, given Ferdinand’s dismissal of the nasty looks he threw the Prime Minister yesterday, it was safe to say there wasn’t any lost love between father and son.

_‘Perhaps the Prime Minister requested the weekend with the two of them,’_ Hubert mused. An inquiry to ask Ferdinand later if he found the chance.

After the waiter came and cleared the trio’s table, Hubert saw his opportunity. He made sure to catch Ferdinand’s attention with a small wave, causing the surprised look on the younger man’s face to change to one of complete delight.

Next to him, Prime Minister Aegir looked like he just sucked on a sour lemon.

Walking over to Hubert’s table, Ferdinand grinned at Hubert. “Hubert! Good morning, did you have a relaxing day yesterday?”

_‘I spent the day following your father while he consulted with a terrorist and then jacked off to pictures of you in tight-fitting uniforms.’_ Hubert thought. Instead, he said, “I did, Nice is much nicer than I anticipated.”

“Indeed!” Ferdinand cheerfully agreed, “My mother and I have visited Nice before, so I’m glad to hear you have enjoyed your time so far!”

“Oh, you have?”

“Yes, she was filming for a movie here when I was younger. We lived here for the summer and I spent most of my time at the fencing school here.”

“You fence?” Hubert asked, feigning ignorance.

“I do! I practice it alongside equestrianism.” Ferdinand answered. “Would you care to join me later? There’s a fencing school I was going to practice at for the day…”

“That sounds lovely,” Hubert purred. “I can’t fence, but I’ll gladly keep you company.”

“Wonderful! Meet me in the lobby in about twenty minutes? I need to grab my fencing gear and prepare myself for the day a bit better.”

“That’s fine with me,” Hubert answered easily. “I’ll see you then.”

“See you then!” And with that, the younger man left the dining hall, catching up with his mother who waited near the entrance. She looked back at Hubert and gave the raven haired man a wink, startling him momentarily. Apparently, Ferdinand caught the act and said something to her, causing the woman to laugh and give her son a good-natured pat on the shoulder.

Ferdinand gave one last wave before following his mother, leaving Hubert alone in the dining hall with his cup of coffee. He contemplated his next move and hoped someone else hadn’t caught Ferdinand’s attention during their stay in Nice so far. The family had arrived in Nice two days earlier than Hubert, so the possibility was there, however slim it may seem.

It was a good thing Ferdinand seemed interested in Hubert’s company, otherwise Hubert might have to resort to finding a way to steal a ticket off an unsuspecting local; greatly unnecessary as far as Hubert was concerned.

Setting down his cup of coffee, Hubert stood from the table and made his way out of the dining hall back to his suite. He needed to prepare himself a bit better for his outing with Ferdinand - perhaps something lighter, but still good enough to hide his holster suspenders in case something happened.

* * *

As promised, Hubert met with Ferdinand in the hotel lobby at their decided time. Hubert arrived a few minutes earlier, using the moment to check through any emails from MI6 (a response from Edelgard regarding last night’s report; Dorothea forwarding him emails about a spa get-away in her usual passive-aggressive attempts at getting him to relax; Caspar’s daily videos of the cat living outside of his apartment building) before Ferdinand arrived.

“Hubert!” he called out, giving a small wave as he approached the raven haired man with his gym bag slung over one shoulder. “I hope I didn’t keep you waiting.”

“Not at all, I arrived a bit early and spent some time looking through my emails.” Putting his phone away, Hubert stood from his seat and gestured towards the front doors. “Now then, shall we?”

The pair ended up taking a car to the fencing school Ferdinand mentioned. The driver was a man employed by the family for the trip, which at least explained the familiarity between him and Ferdinand. The drive itself was filled with Ferdinand’s voice, pointing out a few locations to Hubert as they drove through part of Nice, and the soft sound of the latest French music playing on the radio.

“Where are my manners! I’ve been talking the whole time, haven’t I?” A chuckle from both Ferdinand and the driver. “Please, tell me more about yourself, Hubert. Do you have any hobbies? Things of that nature?”

“I practiced parkour when I was a child,” Hubert responded. “I was rather good at it, much to my mother’s distress.” Not a complete lie, Hubert _did_ have a mild interest in it when he was younger. It turned out to be quite usual later on in life once he became an agent.

Ferdinand’s eyes widened. “Really? Forgive me, I didn’t consider you to be the type, but that sounds really exciting! Did you enjoy anything else?”

“Gardening. It’s a hobby I like to keep even now,” Poisonous plants mostly, but Hubert did own a few succulents that were a gift from Dorothea and a small Venus Flytrap from Bernadetta. “Otherwise there isn’t much else I like to do, I suppose I’m rather boring.”

Of course, there were _other_ “hobbies” Hubert enjoyed, but he didn’t think knowing how to shoot a gun or sniper rifle was something Ferdinand would be comfortable hearing, never mind his habit of twirling a pocket knife when he’s bored (much to Bernadetta’s nervousness whenever she’s around).

“Not at all! I held a mild interest in gardening when I was younger, but mostly in relation to agriculture. My mother wanted to try growing her own wine, so I read up on it a lot. As well as how to grow my own tea leaves in case my favorite blend wasn’t available.”

“Oh? You’re a tea drinker?”

“Of course! Tea is one of the most splendid drinks out there!”

“To be quite honest, I’m more of a fan of coffee.”

“Ah coffee… drab, bitter, with a muddy texture…”

Hubert snickered, amused by the description. “Rather harsh.”

“I suppose the aroma is fine, but the actual drink itself…” A disgusted look crossed Ferdinand’s face, but the mischievous twinkle in his eyes made it clear Ferdinand was teasing him.

Hubert couldn’t help but laugh at that. A rare moment of letting his guard down, which Ferdinand seemed to notice. “Hm? Is something the matter?”

Ferdinand grinned, the sort of grin that someone flashed when they accomplished something major. “It’s nice to see you less reserved! You seemed so tense at the beach when we first met.”

“I did? Forgive me, I have a hard time relaxing.”

“All the more reason why I should feel honored to have made you laugh then!” he said cheerfully. Hubert felt warmth bubble up from somewhere inside him.

_‘We’ve only met a few times and I’m already quite fond of him,’_ Hubert thought. _‘How dangerous.’_

* * *

They managed to arrive to the fencing club in time, the owner of the club welcoming Ferdinand and Hubert himself. The staff finished preparing the space Ferdinand rented out, as well as included a place for Hubert to sit while Ferdinand practiced.

“Refreshments are in the cooler,” the man said, leading them into the room. A training dummy was placed in the center of the room and overhead lights lit the room. “If you have any questions or requests, feel free to ask, Mr. Aegir.”

Ferdinand nodded. Once the man left, Ferdinand’s polite smile melted away into an annoyed look. “I do wish people wouldn’t call me that, it makes me think of my father.”

“And here I thought you were going to say it makes you feel old.” Hubert drawled, earning a snicker from Ferdinand.

“Well, there is that too,” Ferdinand winked, readjusting his gym bag. “Help yourself to some of the refreshments! I need to change into my fencing gear.”

“Thank you.” Walking over to the cooler, Hubert grabbed one of the water bottles stored inside. Hearing the sound of Ferdinand retreating to the changing room, Hubert took a quick sip from the bottle. He took his phone out to check through his emails again (a summary of this week’s meeting from Linhardt; a memo from Q-Branch regarding the new policy for any equipment sent by Lysithea, Bernadetta’s second-in-command).

A notification for a new message appeared as well, this time from Dorothea.

_Hello Hubie, how is Nice so far?_

_Miss Arnault. Somewhat interesting so far. -HV_

_Really?? Anyways, meet anyone cute yet?_

_I don’t see how that’s important. Besides, I’ve been here for a day. -HV_

_Sometimes all you need is a day to find someone cute!  
At least tell me you’re relaxing a little bit. I hear Nice has a lovely beach._

_I’ll relax once I manage to complete my mission. Until then, I can’t afford any unnecessary distractions like a day at the spa if that’s what you’re suggesting. -HV_

_Deflecting are we? Anyways, I guess you have a point. Find something fun to do though! I read there’s an opera showing this weekend._

_It’s funny you mentioned that because that’s where Thales wishes to meet with the Prime Minister. I’m currently working on finding a way in. -HV_

_Of course this somehow turns work related… Good luck anyways!  
I have to get back to work before Edie’s sixth sense goes off. Bye for now Hubie!_

_Miss Arnault. -HV_

“Apologies for the wait! I couldn’t find my hair tie in my bag.”

Slipping his phone in his jacket pocket, Hubert turned to speak to Ferdinand, but felt the words catch in his throat.

Somehow the photographs didn’t do Ferdinand justice. The fencing gear fit Ferdinand very well in person, hugging all the right places. Hubert kept his eyes on Ferdinand’s face, otherwise he was sure he would continue staring at his lower half. He carried his mask underneath one of his arms and his hair was tied back into a loose, low ponytail.

“Hubert? Are you alright?”

Clearing his throat, Hubert nodded. “Yes, I believe I swallowed something wrong for a minute there…”

Judging by the look (and slight smirk) on Ferdinand’s face, the copper haired man didn’t believe him for a second. Thankfully, he was polite enough not to bring it up and moved closer to where Hubert sat to place his mask there.

“I normally have music playing while practicing, but I’d much rather keep conversing with you.”

Grabbing a foil, Ferdinand walked to the center of the room and stood in an attack stance. The change in demeanor was instant and Hubert could feel the confidence radiating off of the younger man. Advancing, Ferdinand lunged at the training dummy, keeping his hits above the waist. Precise and consistent movements spoke years of practice with the blade.

Hubert didn’t feel like looking away from the display of clear talent. “How long have you been practicing fencing?”

“Since I was a child.” Another lunge, this time hitting the shoulder. “My mother enrolled me in classes and I’ve been an avid learner since.”

“Was this before or after…”

“My parents’ divorce? After. If my father had it his way, I wouldn’t be ‘wasting my time’ on something as distracting as horseback riding or practicing fencing.” A frustrated look appeared on Ferdinand’s face. “He wanted me to follow in his footsteps and become a politician.”

“Not a fan of politics?”

“It’s not that,” Ferdinand moved away from the dummy, settling himself again. “I enjoy debating topics with people and discussing ways of improving lives, but my father… he’s not a good person.” This time, Ferdinand’s eyes hardened and he lunged again at the dummy, hitting it hard. “He’s always cared more about lining his pockets than helping people in need. Unfortunately, he’s good at making hollow promises and pushing the blame onto others when things don’t go how he ‘promised’. Some people see through his lies, but he can be quite charismatic when he wants to be.”

Hubert would have to make a note of that later. There could be more about Prime Minister Aegir that needed to be investigated. “Ah the corrupt politician… must have made for an interesting childhood.”

Ferdinand snorted at the comment. “That’s one way of putting it.” Another sigh. “Like I said, my father despised the idea of me spending time on things that didn’t pertain to my ‘future’ as a politician. I was grateful when I got to live with my mother, she’s much more understanding about letting me decide my future.”

“He sounds like quite the dreadful father.”

“He was! Needless to say, I’m surprised he invited us to Nice this weekend and with opera tickets no less! He found the idea of me practicing scenes with my mother a waste of time when I was younger, never mind attending a show at West End!”

Well that was interesting. “Was a weekend in Nice on the schedule? I have to say, I’m rather thankful for it nevertheless.”

“A weekend with _him_ wasn’t planned, but I suppose it doesn’t matter, he’s spending most of it working… Ah forgive me, I started complaining about him again.”

“No need to apologize, I was the one that brought him up.” He hoped the smile on his face was reassuring. “What’s this about an opera though?”

“Oh yes! There will be a showing of _Lucia di Lammermoor_ happening this weekend and my father somehow obtained four tickets for the show…” A slight blush appeared on Ferdinand’s cheeks then. “And, well, he gave me two tickets. One for myself and for a guest of my choice and…” A pause. “Hubert, would you be willing to attend with me?”

“I would be delighted to.” Hubert replied. “I must warn you though, I don’t know much about opera.”

“That won’t be a problem at all!” Ferdinand replied cheerfully. Placing the foil down, he walked over the cooler and drank from one of the bottles inside. “As long as you enjoy the show, then I’m quite sure you’ll be fine!”

“I’m sure the company will make that easier.”

Ferdinand blushed prettily, trying to hide it behind the water bottle, but to no avail.

* * *

They spent the rest of the hour talking about other miscellaneous things (as it turns out, Ferdinand was quite well-read and absolutely delighted to know about Hubert’s brief period of reading every book written by Tolkein) before the owner returned to inform them that their session was finished.

“My apologies, Mr. Aegir.” Nervousness was clear in the man’s voice, though Hubert couldn’t ascertain why. “The other appointments-”

“It’s quite alright, good sir. It would seem we lost track of time.” Pulling a towel out of his gym bag, Ferdinand dabbed the sweat off his face and (long, lovely) neck. “I just need to get changed first.” The soft sound of Ferdinand’s shoes across the floor resounded through the room. Once Ferdinand disappeared into the dressing room, Hubert watched the owner out of the corner of his eye.

The man appeared to be fidgeting with his cuff links, nervously looking between the dressing room doors and the exit. It was a different display compared to the man that oozed swarmy confidence earlier, making Hubert feel cautious.

“Is something the matter, sir?” Hubert asked, watching him intensely.

The man tensed up, trying to appear nonchalant by placing his arms behind his back and turning to face Hubert. The smile on the man’s face looked about as nervous as his body language, far too tense. “Nothing at all, sir! I don’t want to keep the next appointment waiting is all.”

Hubert hummed, which the man took as his cue to return to his fidgeting, although less obvious than before with Hubert’s scrutinizing gaze.

Luckily for the man, Ferdinand appeared a moment later. His hair was still pulled back, but it didn’t deteriorate from his good looks. “Now then, shall we-”

Suddenly, the sound of a gun fire echoed through the room.

Hubert sprang into action, tackling Ferdinand to the ground and watched as the owner ran out of the room yelling something in French. _‘How typical.’_ Hubert thought. Slowly, he grabbed his gun from its holster inside his jacket (a good thing too that he brought it) and got up from his spot on the ground. Looking down at Ferdinand, he saw the younger man’s eyes widen at the gun in Hubert’s hand.

“Hubert, is that-”

He scanned the windows, looking out for any snipers on the roof across the street. “No time, we need to get out of here.” Hauling Ferdinand up, Hubert backed them both up slowly towards the exit, turning around quickly once they were close enough.

Once inside the lobby, it was complete chaos. They were greeted by numerous guests looking panicked, a few asking the receptionist what was going on. A few security guards were stationed as well, their own guns out and scanning for any dangers. Quickly, Hubert put his own gun away to keep the attention off of him and Ferdinand. Taking a quick look at Ferdinand, he could see the younger man looked startled by what happened.

“Hubert,” Ferdinand hissed. “What just _happened_?”

“Business,” he answered vaguely, causing Ferdinand to glare at him. “I’ll explain later. For now, we need to find your driver and head back to the hotel. Is he here yet?”

“I- Yes, yes he should be.” Pulling out his phone, Ferdinand typed out a quick text message to the driver. “I’m letting him know that we need to leave as quickly as possible.”

Hubert nodded, keeping his eyes on the scene before him. He scanned for other exits, seeing a few possible escape routes in case something happened. Looking carefully, he also saw two of the security guards watching them both closely.

Grabbing Ferdinand by the wrist, Hubert started pulling them towards the larger crowd of people near the receptionist’s desk. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw one of the guards move closer to intercept them and cursed under his breath.

“Excuse me,” Hubert could tell the woman was frazzled and frightened. “Our driver is waiting outside. Do we need to stay?”

Biting her lip, she looked towards the front door. Some people were frantically leaving the building, their phones next to their ears as they tried calling the police. The receptionist ended up nodding her head at Hubert’s question, shoulders slumped. Giving a quiet thanks, Hubert dragged them both towards the front doors. The security guard was still trying to follow them, but seemed to have a harder time with the number of people in the way. The other two security guards were having a hard time as well.

Once outside, Hubert spotted their driver immediately and pulled them to the car, letting Ferdinand in first before entering it himself. He kept one hand inside his jacket, however, in case he needed to pull out his gun.

“Hubert! What is going on?!” yelled Ferdinand. “Why was a- a gunman trying to shoot us?! And what was with those security guards? They don’t normally act like that!”

“Like I said, ‘business.’ The kind of business that civilians like you shouldn’t involve yourselves in.” Hubert replied. He watched the world outside their car pass by intensely, making sure there wasn’t anyone following them alongside the sidewalk.

“Well I think I _am_ involved now since one wrong move and I could have gotten shot!” he snapped. Hubert took a moment to look away from the side window and looked at Ferdinand. The younger man looked exhausted, more so than he did after finishing his practice for the day. “I understand if you can’t… talk about it right now, but I do believe I have a right to know what’s going on!”

Tense silence remained. Ferdinand kept his stare on Hubert, not daring to look away and make it incredibly clear that he wasn’t going to stand for being kept in the dark. Even the driver seemed tense from his seat in the front, periodically looking to make sure everything was alright through the rear view mirror.

Sighing, Hubert pulled out his cellphone and unlocked it, holding it out to Ferdinand. “You’re right, I can’t tell you right now, but I’m... willing to later once I’ve contacted my superior.”

“You want me to put my phone number in your phone?”

“Yes, so I can call or message you later. It’s possible that your hotel suite might be compromised and-”

“Compromised?!”

“Yes, so please,” Shaking his phone, Hubert pushed it closer to Ferdinand. “Just put your phone number in my contacts and I promise you either way that I’ll let you know what’s happening.”

Pursing his lips, Ferdinand slowly grabbed the phone from Hubert’s hand and typed his contact information in. Once that was finished, he handed the phone back to Hubert with a resolute look on his face. “You’ll tell me _something_ , at least.”

“I’ll tell you something.” Hubert promised, locking his phone again.

The rest of the drive consisted of the same, quiet French pop music playing in the background as Ferdinand kept his distance from Hubert. It stung a little, but Hubert understood. He hoped that Ferdinand would trust him after everything was explained.

Pulling up to the side of the hotel, Ferdinand left the car as quickly as possible, not even waiting for the driver to open the car door. Hubert followed after him quickly, managing to catch him by the elevator. He grabbed Ferdinand’s elbow and was greeted with a strong glare.

Pursing his lips, Hubert stared down at Ferdinand. “Don’t tell anyone what happened, especially your father.”

Ferdinand snorted. “I doubt he’s going to ask, but I’ll keep the advice in mind should I see him.”

Fortunately, the elevator arrived quickly, allowing the duo to enter it alone. There was still an awkwardness between Hubert and Ferdinand, but Ferdinand seemed less tense than he did earlier.

“I… apologize, for my behavior.” Ferdinand whispered. “I’ve been acting unreasonable.”

“No, I think your reaction is… appropriate.” he responded. “As soon as I figure everything out, I’ll message you.”

Ferdinand nodded. Just in time, too, since the elevator doors opened to his floor. With one last look shared between them, Ferdinand exited the elevator and made his way to his suite.

Alone, Hubert sighed and cursed under his breath.

* * *

_“So what happened?”_ Edelgard asked. She looked concerned, as well as very cautious.

As soon as Hubert returned to his room, he prepared to set up a video conference with Edelgard. A quick email to Linhardt and the conference was set up, with Edelgard, Linhardt, and Dorothea present. He could hear Bernadetta’s nervous pen tapping in the background, but otherwise she remained unseen.

“An unknown assailant tried, I assume, shooting me from the building across the street.”

_“Of your hotel?”_

“No ma’am. It was while I was… out with someone.”

He could see Dorothea perk up suddenly from where she was standing.

Quickly, he said, “He’s the Prime Minister’s son, the one I mentioned in my report.” Edelgard nodded, gesturing for him to continue. “I managed to make sure we both left the premise quickly, although I believe someone might be following him.”

Edelgard raised an eyebrow. _“Oh? Why do you think that?”_

“Three of the security guards were watching us intensely and tried intercepting us. Rather alarming, if I do say so myself.”

_“Indeed,”_ she agreed. _“Excellent work on removing yourself and Aegir’s son from the scene before things got more chaotic.”_

“Thank you, ma’am.”

_“Local news outlets reported a disturbance in the area, but otherwise the shooter hasn’t been found yet.”_ Linhardt said, scrolling through his tablet. _“We’re lucky it sounds like no one was harmed.”_

Edelgard nodded, returning her attention to Hubert. _“It’s possible that Thales knows you’re there.”_

“I’m rather doubtful that Monica recognized me,” Hubert contemplated, bringing his hand up to his chin. “She’s very full of herself from the interaction I saw between herself and the Prime Minister. Perhaps she has a partner I didn’t notice at the restaurant…”

_“Bernadetta?”_ A shriek in the background, followed by Edelgard’s exasperated sigh. _“Does Monica have any known associates?”_

_“Um… let me check really quick,”_ Keyboard clicks filled the silence. _“Okay! So… she’s sometimes seen with an older man identified as Tomas. According to Eisner’s last report, he’s ‘craftier’ and described as ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing.”_

_“Thank you Bernadetta, do you have a picture of Tomas for reference?”_

_“I can send a file on Tomas to Hubert… i-if you want!”_ she squeaked out.

“That would be greatly appreciated, I despise going into a situation without all the information.”

_“Excellent, Bernadetta can send those files over now,”_ a quiet ‘I-I can?’ was heard in the background, but otherwise Edelgard continued. _“Was there anything else?”_

Taking in a breath, Hubert nodded. “Yes, Ferdinand is… reasonably upset about the situation. I’d like to know if I have permission to give him details about my mission.”

A pause. Linhardt yawned, mildly dozing off where he stood. He continued ignoring Dorothea’s intense stare because no doubt the woman was going to probe into this the first chance she got.

_“Very well, you have my permission. I’ll leave the level of disclosure to you.”_

Hubert saw Dorothea’s eyes widen in surprise and Linhardt seemed more awake at Edelgard’s declaration.

“Thank you ma’am. I’ll be sure to send my report later.”

_“Thank you, and good luck with the rest of your assignment.”_

A quick nod to the group assembled and Hubert ended the video conference. Closing his laptop, Hubert grabbed his phone and began typing a new message to send to Ferdinand. With any luck, they would be able to clarify things sooner rather than later.

* * *

_Ferdinand, my superior gave me permission to disclose as much information as I wish for my assignment. If there’s a time you prefer to meet, let me know as soon as possible. - HV_

_Thank you Hubert! Would 8 pm work for you? I’m afraid I’m spending time with my mother between now and then. We’ll be visiting one of the museums and eating dinner together._

_Understood. We can meet in my suite. I’m located on the floor above in the last room on the left. - HV_

_??? Do you always sign your texts with your initials?  
But thank you! I’ll be sure to arrive on time!_

_Excellent. I’ll see you then. - HV_

* * *

Hubert ended up ordering room service, his dinner arriving sometime around 7:30 pm. He met the waiter at the door, bringing the cart of food inside himself. The files inside the manilla folder laid scattered around the coffee table and he didn’t want someone reading anything sensitive.

He was just finishing his food when he heard the sound of someone knocking on his door. Checking his watch, he got up from his seat quickly and opened the door for Ferdinand. He looked nervous, but less distant than before, which Hubert took as a good sign.

Ushering Ferdinand in, Hubert closed the door behind them and walked over to the bottle of wine brought up with his dinner. “Would you like a glass?” he asked, holding it up for Ferdinand to judge himself.

“That would be nice.” A pause. “Thank you.”

Hubert nodded, pouring himself and Ferdinand a glass of wine. “I suppose we ought to cut to the chase,” Handing the glass to Ferdinand, Hubert sat in the seat across from him. “The short version is that I’m here to prove whether or not your father is working with a known terrorist.”

Ferdinand choked on his wine, coughing for a moment and then staring at Hubert with wide eyes. “I- He- _What?_ ”

“Our sources have confirmation that your father is working with a known terrorist, a man by the name of Thales. Under the guise of ‘Arundel,’ he donated heavily to your father’s political campaigns and donated the most money when he was running for Prime Minister.” He paused, allowing Ferdinand to take the information in. “Thales is supposed to meet him here in Nice on the day of the opera, which MI6 believes will be an exchange of information…”

A harsh breath escaped Ferdinand. “So my father is a traitor. Is that what you’re saying?”

“It’s highly likely.”

“Well,” Ferdinand started, pausing to drinking more of his wine. “Somehow this… doesn’t surprise me. I remember him being quite beholden to power and wealth. He spent more time with suspicious characters than he did with his own family.”

The bitterness of Ferdinand’s tone was rather obvious. There was something mildly pitiful about the realization that if Erich Aegir was arrested tomorrow on multiple accounts of serious charges his own son and ex-wife might not even be surprised.

“I already made a vow to myself that I wouldn’t be like him when I got older,” He clutched at the stem of the wine glass harder. “So thank you Hubert for helping me further this resolve!”

Hubert blinked, not expecting to hear any form of gratitude. “You… do realize I just told you your father is a traitor to Britain and will likely be severely punished?” Ferdinand nodded. “Then why are you thanking me?”

If it were anyone else, he was sure they would be denying the allegations or trying to convince themselves otherwise. Hubert wasn’t sure what reaction he was expecting from Ferdinand, but being told ‘thank you’ was never something that crossed his mind.

“If my father has committed a crime, then it’s only fair that he face serious consequences for his actions.”

Hubert blinked. Part of him felt caught off guard by Ferdinand’s reaction, but given everything he knows about the man, perhaps this wasn’t too surprising. “You’re taking this very well.”

“It’s like I said, it’s only fair my father deals with the consequences of his actions,” Ferdinand said as he poured himself a bit more wine. “If I’m going to forge a path for myself, then I cannot let this cause me to abandon all I thought I knew.”

“My, how admirable.” And it was. Hubert knows many people that would buckle to the weight of this knowledge, which would be worsened by the bond between parent and child. “So, now that you know the truth, what do you-”

“I’d like to help!” he interrupted.

“I- Excuse me?” Hubert searched Ferdinand’s face, hoping to see if he was joking, but the determined look in his eyes said otherwise. “May I remind you that you’re a _civilian_? You can’t just-!”

“Hubert, you can’t expect to just leave this be! How am I supposed to look my father in the eyes tomorrow knowing all this?” Crossing his arms, Ferdinand continued, “Besides, I nearly got shot today!”

“Yes I’m aware,” Hubert snarked. “It’s one of the reasons why I offered to tell you everything.”

“Then I’m afraid I’m involved whether you like it or not.”

Hubert didn’t like it, not the one bit, but he supposed that Ferdinand had a point. “It’s likely that Thales knows about you and I, at least, knowing each other.” A nod. Hubert signed. “Fine then, I suppose you might be right after all.”

“Of course I’m right!” Ferdinand said cheerfully. “With any luck, perhaps having someone nearby that knows everything can help!”

Hubert raised a brow. “I hope you’re not doubting my capabilities as a spy.” He teased. “I am one of the finest in Her Majesty’s service.”

“Not at all!” Ferdinand stated. “But you have to admit, two heads are better than one. I’m sure that with your skill set and my closeness to my father, it should be easier to prove his wrongdoings.”

Hubert felt a small smile tug at his lips. “You are optimistic, aren’t you?” Most spies Hubert knew weren’t anymore; Dimitri being a prime example of an optimistic man being bogged down by the weight of what the world was like in the shadows of society.

Ferdinand laughed, a bright and happy sound in the wake of a damning conversation. “So I’ve been told before by other people!” He shot Hubert a grin. “I haven’t lived in Britain for ages, but I do still want to see her have a bright future. If that means removing my father from office, than so be it.”

Hubert nodded, relieved to hear that Ferdinand wasn’t holding any ill will towards MI6 for any of this. _‘Queen and Country over familial bonds, Hubert. I won’t let that stop me from continuing to do my duty.’_ He remembered Edelgard saying a year ago, when it became clear when the man she thought of as her uncle turned out to be a snake waiting to strike.

“Well then,” Hubert started. “I can’t promise any compensation from MI6 for assisting us, but I can promise to do my best to keep you and your mother out of the line of fire.”

Another laugh, a bit louder than before. “A pity, but I suppose I can understand,” he joked, reaching for the wine bottle and pouring himself some more. He raised the glass to Hubert. “Should we toast to our new partnership?”

Raising his own glass, Hubert nodded. “To our new partnership.”

“To our new partnership!”

As they drank their wine, Hubert felt some of his apprehension leave him more and more. In truth, he was worried that Ferdinand might go running to tell his father about the investigation against him. Not only would it ruin months of gathering information on Thales and his movements, but it would have put Edelgard in a bad situation. As the head of MI6, any negative press was directed straight at her. She wasn’t the first woman to be called M, but that didn’t mean the stuffy old bureaucrats didn’t take issue with her.

But Hubert trusted Edelgard with his life. If she didn’t see anything consequences in telling Ferdinand the truth, then he was going to trust that decision.

_‘She has good instincts,’_ Hubert thought. He watched Ferdinand’s lips move, chatting about something that happened during dinner today now that they moved on from the original topic at hand. _‘Ferdinand will be a great asset to this mission moving forward.’_

“Mr. Vestra, have you been listening to a word I’ve said?” Ferdinand teased, going as far as to pout at Hubert’s obvious behavior.

(God he wanted to kiss those lips even more now.)

(Ordering the wine really was a bad idea, especially now that he was alone in his room with _Ferdinand_.)

“Of course,” Hubert lied, keeping his face straight. Judging by the look on Ferdinand’s face, the redhead didn’t believe him. “It was something about the waiter spilling wine on your father?”

Ferdinand snorted. “ _No_ , but I wish that did happen instead! It would have been just as funny as witnessing my father getting dressed down by a waitress he tried hitting on! Although it was uncomfortable to watch at first, I’m glad my mother at least got a good laugh out of the whole thing.”

Hubert could picture it and gave a quiet laugh, which soon devolved into a full-blown laugh at the mental image of Erich Aegir failing to impress some young woman in front of everyone in that dining hall. Despite the seriousness of his mission, it was nice to remember he was dealing with a buffoon of a man. Prime Minister Aegir wasn’t the most dangerous man in this situation, despite the power he held back in Britain that could potentially ruin MI6.

Opening his eyes, he saw Ferdinand staring intensely at him. Sobering up a bit, he asked, “Is something the matter?”

Ferdinand gave another one of those blinding smiles. “Not at all,” he said, taking a sip of his wine, cheeks suddenly looking pink. “You have a nice laugh is all.”

“A nice laugh?” Hubert repeated. “I can’t say I’ve heard anyone say that before.” Most people tended to find his laugh creepy, almost villainous at times.

“A nice laugh and a nice smile,” Ferdinand emphasized, all the while having a soft look in his eyes. “It makes you look younger; more carefree, I suppose. It’s a nice look on you!”

Hubert didn’t know what else to say to that, so he hoped that the wine glass would hide the slight blush creeping on his face.

(He still felt his heart hammering in his chest after Ferdinand left and he began writing his report for the day. This feeling definitely moved away from lust to something… softer. The rush of arousal was still there when he was around Ferdinand, but it wasn’t as intense as the warmth he felt whenever Ferdinand smiled at him or laughed at something he said.

It was a pleasant feeling, one Hubert didn’t know if he wanted to act on.)

* * *

As Hubert discreetly followed Erich Aegir as he rode to his next meeting with Monica, he made a note to thank Ferdinand again later for alerting him earlier this morning of a change in his father’s schedule.

_Father told mother and I that he’ll be meeting with an associate later. He’s trying to squeeze the meeting in before having dinner with us._

That text message had been immensely helpful. As soon as he got it, he finished his coffee and quickly made his way to his suite to prepare himself. Grabbing his gun and putting on his gloves and the watch Bernadetta gave him, Hubert trailed behind Aegir as the man left the hotel and started driving to an unknown location.

Monica must have alerted Aegir about something, perhaps even Hubert’s presence. His only advantage is that it’s possible Monica doesn’t know what he looks like.

_‘That doesn’t mean Tomas isn’t somehow in the picture.’_ Hubert thought, remembering the conversation he had last night with his comrades at MI6. Tomas would complicate things greatly, especially since he was relatively unknown compared to Monica’s extensive file.

If this was going to be an ambush, then Hubert was glad he grabbed his gun. A butterfly knife was also hidden in his sleeve in case of an emergency. Hubert didn’t doubt his hand-to-hand combat skills, but he wasn’t as strong as Caspar when it came to that. A little added protection never hurt, especially since most people didn’t expect to be confronted with a sharp object after having a gun pointed to their face.

Aegir’s car eventually slowed down in front of a warehouse. The area looked abandoned and Hubert watched as Aegir huffed out of the car, slamming the door shut. The man seemed to be in an irritated mood and Hubert watched as the driver rolled his eyes before getting back into the car and driving off quickly.

Parking the rental car in a discreet location, Hubert silently made his way towards the warehouse. He stayed on the look-out for any guards, armed or otherwise. He didn’t want to alert them of his presence before the meeting started, otherwise the whole operation could be ruined.

Seeing no one around - not even on the rooftops, sloppy work - Hubert climbed a ladder nearby and quietly entered the building through a shattered window. Staring down at the open space from the top railings, Hubert could hear the voices of Monica and the Prime Minister echoing through the building.

“This is a disaster!” Aegir screeched, pacing back and forth. Monica was standing nearby with her arms crossed, looking bored out of her mind. “They sent an agent after me! If this news gets out back home, my career is going to be ruined!”

_‘More than just your career,’_ Hubert thought, keeping his eyes on the duo. He didn’t see any sign of Tomas though.

Monica yawned, examining her nails. “So we’ll kill him, it’s that simple.”

“Ah yes, of course, how silly of me to not think of _that_!” Aegir snapped, glaring at the woman. “Because that plan worked phenomenally yesterday!”

“Hey now, it’s not our fault your son was there!”

“You almost shot him!”

Monica waved her hand dismissively at Aegir’s yelling. “Yeah, but we _didn’t_.”

“Kronya, behave yourself.” A scratchy voice called out. Hubert immediately directed his eyes towards the source. Aegir jumped, turning to face the old man as well. “Our apologies, Prime Minister. I can assure you that our gunman wasn’t aiming for your son. We gave him and the men we placed inside the building strict orders not to harm him.”

_‘That must be Tomas,’_ Hubert thought, looking the man over. He was old, much older than Hubert expected. With the reassuring smile the man gave Aegir, he looked like he could be someone’s kindly grandfather. _‘A wolf in sheep’s clothing is an accurate description of the man.’_

“Yes well,” Aegir huffed, staring down Tomas. Once upon a time, Erich Aegir might have appeared intimidating to most people, but Tomas’ unwavering gaze seemed to prove Aegir was beyond being able to intimidate him. “Just make sure it doesn’t happen again. Once Ferdinand realizes how childish he’s being, I’d like for him to continue where I left off.”

Hubert stopped himself from rolling his eyes. After ten years, the man was delusional if he thought Ferdinand was going to be anything like him, especially now knowing the full extent of Aegir’s corruption. Apparently Monica, or Kronya as Tomas called her, thought the same and laughed in the man’s face.

“ _Kronya_ ,” Tomas snapped, causing the young woman to stop immediately. Turning to face Aegir, Tomas gave another stilted smile. “We’ll do our best, Prime Minister.” Looking up, Tomas stared hard at something in the distance. “I doubt you’ll have anything to worry about, especially since our little _rat_ is here right now.”

Seeing a red circle on his chest, Hubert moved out of the way quickly as the sound of a gun shot rang through the warehouse. Aegir screeched, running towards the entrance of the warehouse. Kronya laughed as she watched him leave before turning her attention towards Hubert in the rafters.

“Nice of you to join us!” she called out, a maniac smile on her face. “I’ve been wondering who the agent that has Solon all worked up was!” Pulling out a knife, she pointed it towards Hubert, laughing at the same time. “Too bad, I was kind of hoping you were going to be that one agent from before. I guess your boss didn’t want him handling this mission, huh? Conflict of interests? He would probably be too focused on getting revenge than spying on your little Prime Minister.”

Keeping his tone steady, Hubert said, “You’re rather cocky, aren’t you?”

Smirking, she replied, “Well I am one of Thales’ best agents.”

“Somehow I doubt that,” Hubert said, noticing the woman sneer at him. “If you’re one of his best agents, why do you constantly need a babysitter?” 

“Why don’t you come down here and let me show you?”

Pulling out his gun, Hubert kept it pointed at Kronya. He kept part of his attention on her and Tomas - Solon, she called him - while staying alert for any other snipers in the vicinity. “Hmph, it seemed I hit a nerve.”

Snarling, Kronya charged towards the stairs, quickly making her way up them. Hubert ran in the opposite direction and started shooting once he had her in a clear line of fire. She weaved out of the way of his bullets, some just grazing her skin. Kronya was fast though, and pretty soon she was close enough to Hubert to start slashing at him with her dagger.

Unfortunately for her, Hubert trained with the likes of Shamir and Petra, both of them experts at handling daggers and other types of knives. By now he knew how to expertly dodge out of the way of knife slashes or block them when necessary.

He felt a nick somewhere on his side, but ignored it for now as he pulled out his own knife and slashed Kronya across the face with it, causing her to scream. Taking a step back from Hubert, she brought her hand up to her face and quickly pulled it away when she saw the blood staining her hand. Her eyes widened and she directed her angry gaze towards him, blood seeping out of the wound across the bridge of her nose.

In a blind rage, Kronya charged forward, reaching out to grab Hubert. Taking the opportunity, Hubert grabbed her outstretched arm and pulled her closer, brandishing his own knife. Apparently, she realized her mistake too late because by the time her actions caught up with her, Hubert’s knife pierced through her stomach, causing blood to seep out of the wound quickly.

She dropped to the floor, clutching her stomach in a silent scream. She managed to glare at him through the pain, but Hubert didn’t care. He kicked her knife away from her reach and turned his attention towards Solon. The man was watching in mild boredom.

“I did warn you about your hubris, Kronya,” Solon said, disappointment clear in his tone. “A pity, but not a complete loss.”

“S-Solon… what are you…” she gritted out. She was cut off, however, by the sound of another gunshot going out. Hubert moved out of the way, but saw Kronya lying dead at his feet, blood seeping out of her head now.

“Young people need to learn how to conduct themselves better,” Solon said, directing his attention towards Hubert. “I’ll let you live, but only because Thales has expressed an… interest in you.”

“You can let him know I’m not interested,” Hubert stated, pointing his gun at Solon. Once again, the man didn’t flinch.

Giving a cryptic smile, Solon said, “You can tell him that yourself.”

And with that, he disappeared into the darkness of the warehouse. Realizing he was alone, Hubert lowered his gun and surveyed the scene. The gunmen were gone, likely following Solon whenever he went and Kronya laid dead at his feet, her eyes open in betrayal at Solon’s callousness.

Hissing, Hubert touched his side and felt wetness seep through his jacket and gloves. Pulling his phone out quickly, Hubert sent a quick message to Ferdinand and exited the warehouse. The Prime Minister was nowhere to be seen and Hubert cursed under his breath. The distant sound of sirens off in the distance made him drive off quickly, wanting to escape the scene as soon as possible.

* * *

_If you’re available, I need assistance now. -HV_

_Hubert? What happened?  
Hubert?  
Hubert, what the hell is going on?!_

_Bring bandages and something to disinfect a wound. It would seem Monica managed to get close enough to me after all. -HV_

_Hubert Vestra you’re going to be the death of me, I swear!  
And stop signing your text messages with your initials I already know it’s you!_

* * *

“I would greatly appreciate it if you stopped moving around.”

Hubert hissed, but otherwise tried not to react to the sudden sting of rubbing alcohol on his fresh wound. The adrenaline had dampened the feeling for a moment, but now that Hubert wasn’t trying to dodge Monica’s knife the pain was rushing forward.

They sat in a comfortable silence as Ferdinand worked diligently on wrapping bandages around his waist. A positive to their new partnership; he had someone available to help him with any sort of injuries.

“There,” Ferdinand said, gently patting Hubert on the shoulder. “You’re all set.”

Hubert touched the bandages, nodding in approval. “Thank you, it would have been difficult explaining this to someone in the emergency room.”

Ferdinand smiled, relief clear in his eyes. “You’re most welcome! Although do me a favor and try not to send me such an alarming message again… I was really worried.”

Hubert felt his heart clutch at bit. “My apologies… you were the first person I could think to contact.”

Ferdinand shook his head, exasperated but fond at the same time. “I have to admit, despite how scared I felt, it feels nice to hear that.”

Hubert chuckled. “Only nice?” he joked. “I’m hurt.”

“Well… perhaps more than ‘nice’.” he admitted, scooting closer to where Hubert sat on the bed.

Hubert felt his breath catch for a moment when their hands barely made contact. Despite the gloves he had on, he still felt a rush of warmth move through him.

Leaning in closer, Ferdinand whispered Hubert’s name and brought his other hand up to Hubert’s face, resting it there as he placed a gentle kiss on Hubert’s lips. He felt Ferdinand sigh against his lips and somehow that sigh encompassed different emotions (relief, happiness, _longing_ ).

Something Hubert snapped. Growling lowly under his breath, he brought both his hands up, one resting on Ferdinand’s cheek while the other tangled in that long, soft hair that Hubert has wanted to touch for ages it seemed. He tugged Ferdinand’s head closer, deepening the kiss, and could hear the gasp Ferdinand made. He didn’t, however, move away and instead moved his whole being closer until the man was practically sitting in Hubert’s lap.

Their tongues swirled together, letting all the pent-up frustration from the last few days in each other’s proximity finally snap. Finally, _finally_ he could touch Ferdinand after the man has been barely out of his grasp ever since that first meeting on the beach. He feels like Ferdinand has haunted his mind since that fateful encounter.

_‘How couldn’t I?’_ Hubert thought, groaning when Ferdinand sucked on his bottom lip. ‘Even Icarus couldn’t help himself from fly towards the sun.’

They broke apart for a moment, lips barely touching as they breathed in each other’s air. They didn’t, however, break eye contact. Ferdinand seemed to be searching for something in Hubert’s face and, whatever he did manage to find, caused the younger man to lean in again for another kiss, this time more bruising than the last. 

Hubert took the opportunity to move his hands further down Ferdinand's body, letting his hands slide underneath his shirt and grabbing his waist. The coolness of his gloves caused Ferdinand to gasp and shudder a bit.

Breaking away again, the room was filled with the sound of their bodies trying to regain the oxygen lost during their hard kiss.

Moving his hands away from Hubert's face, Ferdinand grasped at his shoulders and tried finding a more comfortable position in Hubert's lap. He could feel those strong thighs straddling the side of his own, causing more heat to pool lower in his abdomen. Regrettably, he moved one hand away to rest on the inside of Ferdinand's thigh, earning him another shuddering breath.

"Hubert," Ferdinand breathed, eyes glazed over in pleasure. "Hubert, is this… alright? I don't want-" A pause. Inhaling and exhaling in two quick sessions. "I don't want to wake up tomorrow with any regrets so I have to ask… This won't be some one-night stand, right? I can't do anything like that, it's just not who I-"

Cutting him off with a quick kiss, Hubert squeezed Ferdinand's waist and smiled up at the younger man. "Lucky for you, I'm not a fan of one-night stands either… it's not the kind of person I am."

Ferdinand blinked once, twice before a large grin broke out on his face. A giddy laughter escaped him and he moved forward again, this time nipping at the side of Hubert’s neck. Hubert groaned, moving his neck to the side to expose more flesh to Ferdinand. His grip on Ferdinand’s waist tightened when he felt the redhead begin to bite and suck at his neck, which caused Ferdinand to groan as well.

“I can’t emphasize how _much_ I’ve been waiting to do this,” Ferdinand murmured against the skin of his neck. “Ever since that day on the beach…”

“I understand,” Hubert breathed, feeling dizzy at the realization that Ferdinand has wanted him just as long as him. “You’re an absolute tease, you know that? Who wouldn’t want you after seeing your sun-kissed skin and wearing nothing but tight shorts?”

Laughing, Ferdinand moved away from his neck and began trailing kisses further down until he reached Hubert’s collarbone, nipping at it. “Don’t sell yourself too short, Mr. Vestra,” he husked, staring at Hubert. “You’re quite handsome yourself. I’d like to tell you how much I’ve been thinking of those hands of yours, especially those fingers, but I’m afraid I’ve lost count at some point.”

His mind felt hazy at Ferdinand’s admission. Blood roaring in his ears, Hubert removed one hand from Ferdinand’s waist and cupped at the redhead’s arousal, causing him to moan.

Licking his lips, Hubert stared into Ferdinand’s eyes. “Allow me.” With quick fingers, he undid the button of Ferdinand’s jeans and started sliding them down.

Catching on quickly, Ferdinand moved out of Hubert’s lap and allowed him to pull his jeans down further, taking the underwear with him as he did. Once they were low enough, Ferdinand kicked them off and started panting and hissing at the feeling of the cool air on his cock.

Hubert started removing his own pants as well, sliding them down quickly as he stared at Ferdinand’s lovely cock. It was as perfect as the rest of the man and Hubert couldn’t help but groan once he felt his own arousal freed from its confines.

As he did that, Ferdinand started removing his shirt, leaving him bare before Hubert’s eyes. Once Hubert’s own pants and underwear were removed, the redhead situated himself back in Hubert’s lap. Mindful of the bandages wrapped around Hubert’s side, Ferdinand placed his hands on Hubert’s shoulders, holding them tightly.

Ferdinand began rocking back and forth in Hubert’s laugh, causing both of them to moan at the feeling of their cocks rubbing against each other. Hubert brought one of his gloved hands up and tugged on it with his teeth. He felt hot underneath Ferdinand’s intense stare, watching Hubert’s movements and speeding up. Groaning, Hubert reached down with his bare hand and spread their pre-cum across their cocks, moving his hand up and down their cocks.

Ferdinand brought his head down, pressing their foreheads together. Their breaths mingled as Hubert sped up his movements. The high pitched keen Ferdinand made made him groan loudly.

“Ferdinand,” Hubert breathed. “Ferdinand, do you…”

Shaking his head, Hubert brought his other hand up, intent on removing the glove. Ferdinand, however, seemed to beat him to it and grabbed his hand, slowly pulling the glove off. Hubert watched as Ferdinand brought his hand closer to his mouth, licking at the skin between his fingers.

“Fuck,” Hubert whispered. There was a playfulness in Ferdinand’s eyes, shining through the heavy arousal. Experimentally, Ferdinand sucked one digit into his mouth, swirling his tongue around it. Groaning, Hubert dipped another finger between those lips, pushing it forward and watching with hazy delight as Ferdinand’s eyes fluttered, accepting it readily.

“You’re lovely, you know that?” Hubert whispered, moving his hand quicker on their cocks. “You look absolutely stunning, sucking on my fingers like my cock.” Ferdinand whined and Hubert smirked, pushing another finger between Ferdinand’s lip. “You’re such a good boy, Ferdinand. Get those nice and wet for me, won’t you? I’m afraid I’ll have to make due without any lube.”

Ferdinand sucked his fingers in deeper, almost deepthroating the digits, causing Hubert to curse under his breath. God, Ferdinand was going to be the death of him, especially when he started grinding again.

“Fuck,” Hubert _needed_ to feel Ferdinand now. Pulling his fingers out of Ferdinand’s mouth, feeling another rush go through him at Ferdinand’s whine.

He took his hand and reached around Ferdinand’s back, teasing one of his fingers into Ferdinand’s hole. Ferdinand’s mouth hung open as he moaned lowly, grinding against Hubert’s finger. Pushing the digit in slowly, he felt Ferdinand’s tight heat around his finger, causing him to groan lowly.

“Fuck,” Ferdinand cursed. “Hubert, _please_.”

“In a moment,” Hubert growled, feeling dizzy at the sight of his second finger disappearing inside of Ferdinand. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“I’m not _delicate_ , Hubert.” he breathed out. “Now if you don’t get your dick inside me any time soon, I’m going to-”

Ferdinand’s loud moan cut off whatever he was about to say when Hubert’s fingers brushed against his prostate. He ground down harder on Hubert’s fingers, practically riding them at this point.

Hubert chuckled, “Very well, if you insist.”

Removing his fingers, Hubert pulled Ferdinand closer. Luckily, Ferdinand caught on to what he wanted and lifted himself up, placing his ass over Hubert’s cock. Sinking down slowly onto his cock, Ferdinand and Hubert both groaned at the sensation.

Catching their breaths, Ferdinand started moving up and down, swirling his hips every once and a while. Hubert brought his hands to Ferdinand’s waist and gripped him tightly, no doubt leaving bruises for tomorrow morning. Burying his head in Ferdinand’s chest, Hubert breathed harshly in and out as he started moving his own hips up in sync with Ferdinand’s movements. 

The only sound in the room was the rocking of the bed, Ferdinand’s low moans, and Hubert’s own groans.

They would face the day tomorrow. Right now, nothing was more important than reaching that release and heat pooled low in their abdomens. Time slowing down as they came together.

* * *

Hubert opened his eyes to the sun beaming down on his face, causing him to groan quietly and quickly close his eyes again. He heard a small chuckle came from his right and the feeling of calloused fingers run through his hair, pushing his bangs back.

Opening one eye, Hubert stared up at Ferdinand, feeling mesmerized by the orange waves cascading down Ferdinand’s back.

_‘Ah, the sun,’_ Hubert thought, slowly waking up out of the sleepy haze. Sitting up, Hubert hissed, remembering the pain on his side.

“Be careful,” Ferdinand said, helping him up. “I can change those now if you want.”

Hubert shook his head, turning to face Ferdinand. God he looked beautiful in the morning light. “That’s quite alright. I’m… content to stay like this for now.”

Ferdinand smiled, scooting closer to Hubert’s side, slotting their hands together. “I feel content as well,” he said, bringing Hubert’s hand up and kissing the back of it. “Shall I order breakfast for us?”

Hubert hummed in response, having a hard time taking his eyes off of Ferdinand. Ferdinand reached over to the phone at his bedside and started order room service, tone hushed as if he didn’t want to ruin the quiet atmosphere.

“Well,” Ferdinand started, hanging the phone up. “Breakfast should arrive shortly. They said it might take about twenty minutes.”

“Twenty minutes, hmm?” Hubert murmured, brushing his thumb against the inside of Ferdinand’s thigh. “What should we do in the meantime?”

Ferdinand chuckled, moving Hubert’s hand away. “While I would like to continue where we left off last night, I think a shower is in order.” Moving out of the bed, Ferdinand walked towards the bathroom, turning around and raising an eyebrow at Hubert. “Are you coming?”

Hubert felt his cock stiffen a bit at the sight and slowly, he moved out of the bed and followed after Ferdinand, hopeful that Ferdinand might change his mind once they were in the shower together.

* * *

About ten minutes (and one blowjob) later, Hubert and Ferdinand emerged from the shower together, clean and refreshed.

Hubert was drying his hair in the bedroom, watching through his bangs as Ferdinand brushed his hair in front of the bathroom window. There was something _intimate_ about watching Ferdinand do such a simple action, the way his fingers brushed through his honey-orange locks and the soft sound the brush made as it went through.

Hubert didn’t realize he was staring until he saw Ferdinand smiling pleasantly at him, amusement clear in his eyes. Setting the brush down, he joined Hubert in the bedroom and went to grab bandages from the kit he brought, ready to begin wrapping new ones around his waist.

Five minutes later, the hotel staff arrived with their breakfast. Hubert and Ferdinand were already dressed for the day and began eating together. Hubert checked his email on his phone, sending a quick reply to Edelgard when she asked him when she would receive his report for yesterday. He could hear Ferdinand humming an American pop song under his breath as he sent a quick text message to someone, but otherwise the atmosphere was calm and pleasant as the rest of the morning had been.

“Tonight is the night of the opera,” Hubert said, setting his phone down. Ferdinand hummed, nodding along. “Your father is supposed to be meeting Thales tonight, so it’s imperative that everything goes well tonight.”

Swallow his food, Ferdinand nodded in agreement. “I have the extra ticket in my bedroom. Father will be gone for most of the day since he’s meeting with some French officials.”

“Yes I remember from the schedule.” Taking a sip of his orange juice, Hubert contemplated how tonight would go. “Luckily, I have an extra suit I can wear to tonight’s event. I take it you have one as well?”

“Of course! Mother and I were planning on watching a performance at some point during this trip, it was just a surprise that when father stopped by with four tickets of his own.”

“Excellent, then let’s start strategizing about how tonight will go. I can have a blueprint of the opera house sent to me from MI6 and we can go from there.”

Nodding, Ferdinand stood from his seat and stretched a bit, causing his shirt to hike up a tad. “I’ll go say good morning to my mother and grab the extra ticket while you do that. I’ll see you shortly!”

Ferdinand leaned down and kissed Hubert’s cheek before leaving the room, the sound of the door closing behind him echoing throughout the space.

Hubert couldn’t help but smile as he grabbed his laptop, sent a quick email to Bernadetta regarding his request, and patiently waiting for Ferdinand to come back. 

Hubert has never fallen for someone this hard and fast before, but somehow it seems right knowing it’s Ferdinand that managed to worm his way into Hubert’s heart. The man was wonderfully endearing.

* * *

After finalizing their plans, Ferdinand handed the ticket to Hubert and informed him that his mother wanted to spend some time together before their trip in Nice ended. He offered Hubert the chance to join then, citing that his mother seemed awfully excited about meeting Hubert, but he turned it down. He had paperwork to finish and equipment to look over before the final phase of the mission began.

“Besides, I’ll be meeting her tonight, won’t I?” Hubert asked, pausing his typing to look up at Ferdinand.

“I suppose, but don’t say I didn’t warn you if she pounces on you right away! She saw me leaving my bedroom with that spare ticket, so she knows I’m bringing a guest. Not to mention the, uh,” Clearing his throat, Hubert saw his cheeks flush a bit. “She asked about the _mark_ you left on my neck, mister. Did you have to place it somewhere that high up?”

“Yes,” Hubert immediately answered. If Ferdinand wanted an apology, then unfortunately he wasn’t going to get one. “Ferdinand, I don’t think you’ve noticed but people do stare at you.”

Amused, Ferdinand asked, “And this is your way of staking a claim?”

Hubert didn’t answer, but he supposed his silence was enough of an answer for Ferdinand because the redhead laughed, leaving another kiss on Hubert’s cheek. “You’re very cute, you know that?”

“Not something I’ve been told a lot.”

“Yes, I’m starting to believe this is a pattern.” Ferdinand chuckled, walking back towards the exit. Looking over his shoulder, Ferdinand gave a small wave. “I’ll see you tonight, Mr. Vestra. You better not be late.”

Smiling, Hubert said, “I wouldn’t dream of it. That would be immensely rude after all.”

* * *

Smoothing out any wrinkles in his Westwood suit, Hubert stood in front of a full-length mirror and eyed his attire critically. His gun holsters were, thankfully, unnoticeable and the jacket looked perfect on him. Adjusting his cuff links and slipping his black gloves on (a different pair, thankfully, he didn’t want to explain why he wore blood-stained gloves to anyone), Hubert felt relieved to know that after tonight, Britain would be in safer hands once Erich Aegir was arrested and locked up somewhere where no one would see him again.

He hoped that whatever repercussions came from Erich Aegir’s fall wouldn’t gravely affect Ferdinand or his mother. It helped that they’ve been removed from the man’s life for over ten years now, but the stain of Erich Aegir’s betrayal to the British people might haunt the Aegir name forever.

_‘I suppose being around Ferdinand has made me sentimental,’_ Hubert thought, walking away from the mirror and grabbing his earpiece. Slipping it in his ears, he sent a quick message to Bernadetta alerting him that he had the equipment in his ear. She sent him a quick message back, thanking him for the information. Apparently tonight was Lysithea’s night to run comms with any active agents, which Hubert was fine with. She was an excellent second-in-command and reliable to a fault, if he needed any help tonight he knew she would be able to do the job quickly.

Hubert put the last piece of equipment on, the exploding watch Bernadetta gave him, and left his suite.

_Leaving the hotel now. I assume you and your parents are already there? -HV_

_Yes we are! Father wanted to leave as soon as possible. I believe he mentioned meeting someone important, which I’m assuming is this Thales character?_

_Indeed, that’s very likely. I’ll see you soon then. -HV_

_See you soon!_

Putting his cellphone away, Hubert started driving away from the hotel and towards the opera house, hoping that tonight would go according to plan. If all went well, then perhaps Thales, too, would be arrested for multiple crimes related to terrorism and bribery.

Either way, he was going to return home to Britain with his head held high and the knowledge that he didn’t let Edelgard down. Not this time.

* * *

“More champagne, sir?”

Hubert gave a polite smile to the waiter as he took a flute of champagne, ignoring the man after he walked away. Taking a sip of the beverage, Hubert observed the scene before him. All of the glitz and glamour suited the kind of man Prime Minister Aegir thought himself to be and played to his ego perfectly. Truly Thales and his compatriots knew how to stroke someone’s ego; it’s a shame that they chose someone who was _terrible_ at being subtle.

“Ah, there you are!” Suddenly, a warm body pressed itself next to him. Bright orange hair, styled into a low ponytail, filled his vision and Hubert turned to see Ferdinand’s dazzling smile directed towards him. “I must say, Mr. Vestra, you are a hard man to find.”

“Forgive me, darling,” Hubert purred, bringing one of his arms to rest around Ferdinand’s waist. “I do have a job to finish after all.”

Ferdinand hummed, taking the champagne glass from Hubert’s hand. “Well, at least try to enjoy the night before you go off and do… whatever it is you need to do.”

“No promises.” Hubert looked up and caught the Prime Minister’s eyes, noticing the shocked expression on his face as he saw Hubert’s closeness to his son. The raven haired man felt very amused at the older man’s reaction and, judging by the look on Ferdinand’s face, the feeling was quite mutual.

Ferdinand gave Hubert a kiss on the cheek, the man’s presence lingering as the duo saw Erich Aegir approach them quickly, anger very apparent on the older man’s face.

“Ferdinand,” Aegir asked, looking back and forth between the two. “Who is this?”

“My date for tonight,” Ferdinand answered easily, raising an eyebrow at his father’s sour look. “You told me I could bring a plus one, and so I did.”

Pursing his lips, the man glared at Hubert, as if he was trying to will the man away from his son’s side. “Yes but… him?” He asked, gesturing towards him. If Hubert didn’t already know what kind of man Erich Aegir was, he would have felt more insulted by the man’s blatantly rude behavior.

“Erich, stop being an arse.” All three men turned to see Clara Hymir standing before them. The look on her face was unamused as she witnessed her ex-husband’s behavior. “I’m sorry dear, for all my ex-husband’s old money filled background, he’s horrible rude.”

Hubert laughed, ignoring Aegir’s spluttering. “Men like him aren’t a rarity, so I’m quite used to it.” That earned a laugh from the woman. Evidently, it was clear where Ferdinand got his laugh from, it sounded just as warm and bright as her son’s. “Vestra, Hubert Vestra.” He said, extended his hand for the woman to shake.

Taking it, she gave him a smile as they shook hands. “Clara Hymir.” she stated, looking between Hubert and Ferdinand. A playful smile crept up on her face. “I suppose you’re the one that left that little-”

“Mother!” Ferdinand hissed, cheeks reddening. Aegir’s eyes widened at the implication of his ex-wife’s words. “You promised you wouldn’t embarrass me.”

“Did I?” she asked, feigning ignorance. “I’m sorry, my sun, it must have slipped my mind.” She shot them a playful wink, grabbing a flute of champagne when the waiter came back around.

Ferdinand shook his head in exasperation, but the smile on his face made it clear it wasn’t out of genuine frustration. “I’m sure it did, Mother.”

Apparently, that was about as much as Erich Aegir could take before he walked away from the trio, muttering something under his breath. Clara watched him go, rolling her eyes at his behavior, muttering the word ‘childish’ under her breath as she took a sip of her champagne.

“I think I’ll leave you two lovebirds be,” she said, smiling when she saw someone over their shoulders. “Take good care of my son tonight, understood Mr. Vestra?”

“Of course, ma’am.” he answered. Clara nodded before walking away, joyfully greeting a woman with ash blonde hair and light brown eyes.

“Ah, Manuela Casagranda!” Ferdinand said, witnessing the reunion. “She’s going to be in tonight’s opera performance. My mother and her are old friends from my understanding.”

Hubert watched as Clara slipped closer to the woman, playfulness dancing across her features. Whatever was being said between the two made Manuela’s eyes darken for a moment. “Yes,” Hubert said, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “I’m quite sure they’re just ‘old friends,’ as you put it.”

Ferdinand huffed, leading them away from their place and closer to the table with food and refreshments. “Please, I don’t want to think about whatever past relations my mother might have had with people she knows.” He pleaded, face scrunching up at the thought.

Hubert chuckled, smirking at Ferdinand’s obvious discomfort with the idea. Turning his attention away from the spread of the food in front of them, he stayed vigilant for Thales, Solon, and whoever else might show up tonight. He saw Aegir speaking with a woman with pink-blonde hair and a _very_ low cut dress. She seemed haughty, like she was above everyone around her, and regarded Aegir similarly.

Nudging Ferdinand, Hubert gestured his head towards where his father and the tall woman were standing. Ferdinand watched them too, confusion evident in his eyes. He shook his head, confirming that Ferdinand didn’t know who she could be.

Discreetly, he tapped his earpiece, alerting Lysithea that he needed her assistance.

_“I’m here, Hubert,”_ Lysithea answered quickly. _“What’s the situation?”_

“Aegir is talking to an unknown woman. Pink-blonde hair, aqua eyes; she might be an associate of Thales, but I’m not sure at the moment.” Hubert said, loud enough that Lysithea could hear.

_“Hang on while I look through known associates of Thales,”_ she said. _“No, that’s not… ah ha! Found her! We only know her by her alias: Cornelia. She’s usually seen acting as Thales’ arm candy judging by all these images we have of her.”_

At least he had a name to the face now. “Anything else of value?”

_“Hmm… there isn’t much we know about her, aside from her connection to Thales. It looks like she’s been seen cozening up to politicians, but that’s about it.”_

“I see, thank you Lysithea. Signing off now.” Taking his hand away from the earpiece, Hubert directed his attention towards Ferdinand. “She’s an associate of Thales, but otherwise that’s all we know about her.”

“Which means Thales is somewhere nearby?” Hubert nodded. “Let’s just hope that you’re able to get close enough before my father tells him any important secrets.”

“Indeed, although it would make it even easier to arrest him.” Hubert jokingly stated, earning a small hit on the shoulder.

“I take it you’re Erich Aegir’s son?” A voice said behind them, causing the pair to turn around. “Ah yes, I see the resemblance now. You have the same hair and eye color, but where are my manners?” Reaching his hand out for a shake, the man said, “Volkhard Arundel. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Ferdinand gave the man a tight smile, shaking his hand. “Likewise,” he said, giving Hubert a quick look.

Despite Arundel’s attention seeming to be on Ferdinand, it was clear the man was focused on Hubert and his reactions. It was immensely uncomfortable, especially since Hubert _knew_ exactly who this man is and, no doubt, Arundel knew who he was as well.

“I hope you two enjoy tonight’s performance.” Arundel - Thales - said. His smile was as disingenuous as the rest of his polite facade. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I believe I need to save my date from your father.”

Even as Thales walked away, the air still felt chilled. Ferdinand looked a little nervous after the exchange, seemingly unsettled by Thales’ presence. Hubert couldn’t blame him because he felt unsettled as well, being confronted by the man that nearly ruined Edelgard’s life a year ago. 

Taking a deep breath, Hubert extended his arm out to Ferdinand. “Well, shall we?”

Ferdinand took it, nodding in agreement. “I’ll try to make an excuse to my mother if you disappear in the middle of the show.”

“Excellent,” Hubert said, giving the side of Ferdinand’s head a brief kiss. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

Ferdinand’s confident smile was more reassuring than Hubert expected.

Following the crowd, Hubert stayed on the look out for anyone suspicious. He didn’t see Solon anywhere, but Cornelia and Thales were arm-and-arm, Aegir close by. Squeezing Ferdinand’s arm, the two took their seats and Hubert took note of where the trio was. He would disappear soon, hopefully without anyone noticing.

* * *

Fifteen minutes into the performance, Hubert saw Thales leave his seat and disappear somewhere. Cornelia turned her head slightly, smirking when she made eye contact with Hubert.

It was clearly a trap, but Hubert wasn’t going to let this opportunity pass him. “I need to disappear now,” Hubert whispered, leaning into Ferdinand’s space. “Cover for me if you can.”

He disappeared after seeing Ferdinand nod, following after Thales. A few of the opera house staff were giving him odd looks, but otherwise left him be.

Tapping his earpiece with one hand and pulling his gun out with the other, Hubert said, “I’m pursuing Thales now. Aegir is still watching the performance with Cornelia nearby.”

_“Understood Hubert,”_ Lysithea said. _“I’ve got Edelgard with me here, too.”_

_“Hubert,”_ Edelgard said, voice hard. _“If you can, try to capture Thales alive. There could be important information we can extract from him.”_

“Yes ma’am.”

_“And Hubert… please be careful.”_

She signed off then and Hubert rushed after Thales. While Hubert would prefer shooting Thales the next chance he got, he understood Edelgard’s reasoning. A man like Thales was the mastermind behind many attacks across Europe, so apprehending him now would keep Britain and her allies safe.

He caught a glimpse of Thales as the man made his way to the back of the opera house. Rushing forward, Hubert gave up on discreetly following him. Thales knew who he was and, judging by Cornelia’s smirk back in the concert hall, he knew why he was here.

“I’ll play your game,” Hubert murmured to himself. “For Queen, Country, and Edelgard.”

* * *

Hubert followed Thales to the roof, the man looking back every once and awhile, a smirk on his face when he saw Hubert pursuing him.

Finally, Hubert managed to catch up to Thales. The man was standing near the edge of the roof, looking out at the city in front of him. Hubert kept his gun trained on him, looking around in case one of Solon’s gunmen were waiting on a nearby rooftop.

“I’ve been hoping to meet you for quite some time, Mr. Vestra,” Thales said, turning to face Hubert. His piercing blue eyes looked icier in this light and greatly unsettling. “Nothing bites as hard as a cornered rat, eh?”

“The only ‘cornered rat’ I see is you, Arundel, or should I say Thales?” Hubert snarked, glaring at the man. “If you come quietly, I can try to convince them to give you the most comfortable cell we have available.”

Thales laughed, dark and malicious. “And my dear ‘niece’ is fine with that?”

Hubert growled, grip tightening on his gun. “Don’t call her that, not after you killed her real uncle and replaced him.”

He smirked, delighted by Hubert’s anger. “Regardless, Mr. Vestra, I’ve been waiting to meet you for quite some time.” He started pacing, but never kept his eyes off of Hubert. “You have a lot of potential and that potential is going to _waste_ at MI6.” Reaching his hand out, Thales said, “Would you consider working with me and my companions? Those Who Slither in the Dark could use someone like you… cunning, dangerous, and unafraid to do what is necessary to complete the mission.”

“I’d rather die than work with you,” Hubert stated. “You and your people aren’t revolutionaries, but terrorists.”

“And your dear Edelgard is a revolutionary for pulling MI6 into the modern age of espionage?” Thales drawled. “Who do you think gave her the motivation to do so?”

“If you call nearly killing her and threatening the lives of her family ‘motivation,’ then I’d hate to see what you consider ‘helping’ someone.”

Another laugh. This time, Thales pulled something out of his pocket, holding it up for Hubert to see. “All the information you could possibly want about Aegir’s dealings with me are on this flash drive.”

Unexpectedly, Thales threw the small device to Hubert, who caught it quickly. He stared down at it in confusion before returning his attention back to Thales. “Why are you giving me this?”

“Erich Aegir has clearly outlived his usefulness.” His tone was matter-of-fact. “Consider it a gift… and perhaps we’ll see you again soon Mr. Vestra.” Stepping back, Thales stood on the edge of the building. “Take care of yourself and tell my ‘niece’ I said hello.”

With that, Thales fell backwards, spreading his arms out as he did. Hubert rushed forward, looking over the edge for any sign of the man, but he was gone without a trace.

He contemplated the flash drive in his hand, unsure if this was a victory or a defeat.

‘Regardless,’ he thought, pocketing the flash drive and putting his gun back in his holster. _‘I’ve completed my mission. All that’s left is the aftermath.’_

Walking away from the edge of the roof, Hubert signed back on with MI6 and reported what just happened. By the time he returned, the opera was going to intermission and Cornelia was nowhere to be seen. Ferdinand looked mildly worried, but relaxed once Hubert nodded at the redhead.

For now, he would worry later about Thales and his offer. He already knew his place was with Edelgard and MI6, and staring at Ferdinand he wondered if there was a chance he could have him as well.

* * *

The next day was a flurry of activities. Hubert joined Ferdinand and his mother the whole day to celebrate his birthday. Erich Aegir wasn’t present for any of it, which Clara seemed annoyed by, but Hubert knew the real reason why the man wasn’t there.

Last night, Hubert managed to send the information on the flash drive to MI6. Bernadetta and Lysithea spent the whole night combing over the files and taking notes on everything exchanged between Erich Aegir and Thales. Not only was the man being offered money in exchange for state secrets, an already damning thing to confirm, but there was evidence of Thales’ organization tampering with votes in order to keep Aegir in office. Blackmail and bribery was also present and, apparently, Aegir had Thales look into his political opponents and dig up any dirt they could find.

If all went right, then Erich Aegir woke up this morning to the news that the minute he returned to London, he would be charged with multiple accounts of treason and fraud. He would be spending the rest of his life in prison and it was only because of his own obsessive need for power and money.

A few of Aegir’s associates had been indicted as well. It was almost pitiful how many people were involved in this scheme, thinking they could get away with their crimes just because Erich Aegir was the current Prime Minister.

Hubert had decided to keep the news to himself. It wouldn’t do well to ruin Ferdinand’s birthday with the news that his father was going to be arrested the minute he set foot back in Britain. Even if Ferdinand had a rocky relationship with his father, it wasn’t as though he didn’t still hold some affection for the man.

The news would break at some point, but for now Hubert wanted to enjoy a relaxing day with his… Ferdinand and Ferdinand’s mother. The woman seemed to like him, which was a good sign if he and Ferdinand continued with their relationship.

* * *

Later that night, alone in Ferdinand’s suite, the two laid together in Ferdinand’s bed, trying to catch their breaths. Ferdinand rolled over, scooting himself closer to Hubert’s side and sighed pleasantly.

“Darling,” Hubert murmured, running one hand through mused Ferdinand’s hair. “You are marvelous.”

“I could say the same about you,” Ferdinand said back, resting his head close to Hubert’s shoulder.

They laid there in comfortable silence, the only movement coming from Hubert’s hand tangling itself in Ferdinand’s hair. Ferdinand took the opportunity to trace nonsensical shaped on Hubert’s side, a pleasant smile on his face the entire time.

“I assume my father is going to be arrested soon?” Ferdinand murmured, breaking the silence.

“Yes,” Hubert answered quietly. He didn’t feel bad about Erich Aegir’s suffering, but he did feel bad about how this would affect Ferdinand. “I was hoping to tell you later, but…”

“It’s alright,” he said, smiling sadly for a moment. “I suppose that means the Aegir name is ruined.”

“Not completely, knowing you I bet you can fix whatever damage your father caused.”

“Now who sounds like the optimist?” Ferdinand teased, but otherwise looked delighted. “Although I suppose you’re right. Perhaps a little political activism can help prove to the people that not everyone with the last name ‘Aegir’ a traitor.”

“Oh? I thought you didn’t like politics.”

“I didn’t like the _idea_ of becoming a politician,” he clarified. “Debating and finding solutions for problems is something I don’t mind.” He paused, absentmindedly continuing to trace shapes on Hubert. “You know, back when I was a child, I wanted to make education more accessible for underprivileged people. My father laughed when I told him that, saying I had too soft of a heart and it was a sign of my weakness.”

He thought of Edelgard and her desire to help people. It didn’t make her weak; she was one of the strongest people he’s ever known.

“Perhaps I can start there,” Ferdinand mused, staring up at the ceiling. “I have a friend named Lorenz that has experience with putting forth ideas to Parliament… I can try asking him.”

Hubert smiled, listening to Ferdinand speak about how to accomplish his ideas. It was almost domestic with the pleasant atmosphere and the energy between the two.

“Ferdinand,” Hubert said, interrupting Ferdinand’s musing. “Do you… Do you plan on coming back to London?”

“Of course!” Ferdinand said, grinning at Hubert. “My mother is supportive of the decision, too, although she plans on staying in France.”

“I see,” Hubert murmured, suddenly feeling nervous. “Then… I would guess that means you don’t have a place to stay yet?”

“Not yet,” he answered, staring at Hubert, searching for something in his face. “Unless… are you offering?”

Hubert nodded, unsure if he could trust his voice at that moment. Ferdinand grinned, looking absolutely delighted by Hubert’s offer.

Rolling over, Ferdinand placed himself above Hubert. Their bare chests were touching with the new position and Ferdinand leaned down, placing a soft kiss on Hubert’s lips. He brought one hand up to Hubert’s cheek and Hubert mirrored the movement, just running their thumbs up and down the skin.

“Hubert…” Ferdinand whispered, looking nervous. “I-I want to tell you that I-” He took a breath. “I love you, Hubert.”

“I love you too, Ferdinand.” he whispered back, this time initiating the kiss.

He could fee Ferdinand smile as they kissed, absolutely giddy at the admission.

They would face the consequences of Erich Aegir’s actions tomorrow, but for now Hubert and Ferdinand enjoyed each other’s presence and the beginning of a new future together.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! <3 If you want to yell at me more about Fire Emblem, I'm over at twitter [@pandabuddha1](https://twitter.com/pandabuddha1)!


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